A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left.
Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Not so Shortly Floorcross

It must be quite embarrassing to have your political opponents stand up in Full Council and reveal to your side that you asked to defect but they turned down your kind offer.

Up in Haringey Nick Clegg was dealt a blow last night when it was revealed that his Adviser on Interfaith and Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism had tried to defect to the Labour Party, but had his advances rejected. Cllr Fiyaz Mughal, Lib Dem Councillor for Noel Park, made several attempts during Brian Paddick’s Mayoral campaign to co-ordinate a defection to the Labour benches. Cllr Mughal even tried to speak to Ministers after the local Labour Party refused to accept him.

Haringey Labour tell me they were very clear – he did not share Labour politics or values, and had a poor attendance record, so we rejected his offer. Well done to Haringey Labour for not taking an easy political gain at a difficult time in their borough but doing the right thing.

17 Comments:

You've got to question Clegg-over's judgement, selecting someone that plots a defection as his 'Adviser on Interfaith and Preventing Radicalisation'. Check out Fiyaz's website for lots of pics of him with the Lib Dem leadership: http://fiyazmughal.org.uk/index.html

Whilst I have no reason to think that this was a wrong decision, a Tory councillor crossed the floor here last year, and also Quentin Davies MP and I'm not convinced either of them fundamentally changed their political views

guys, get a grip!!! As someone who lives in Haringey and knows how dirty politics can be, this is rediculous. Labour have been attacking cllr Mughal lately on silly stuff for the sake of the elections.Cllr Mughal has always been a liberal, if labour don't like it that one of their colleagues have defected yesterday to the liberals at this crucial time of elections, then tough luck. Looks like LABOUR are loosing it in Haringey!!!

If Cllr Mughal wanted to defect, he would go independent and not to either tories or labour. As a resident, I follow up on everything that my cllr does, so if his daily work involves working with labour and tories, that doesn't make him one of them!!!As one his residents, I am proud of having Mughal as my liberal cllr!!!

Thats because all the parties are virtually the same at the moment. Tory,Lib Dem and Labour are all going to sack half the country in April yet pay bankers payouts using tax handouts. It really doesn't what party the MP works for

No comment on why Brian Haley left Labour and crossed the floor to join the Liberal Democrats. And why Haringey Labour reselected discredited former mayor, Reg Rice, who applied to join Lib Dems after he was deselected last time by Labour? What a circus!

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About Me

Labour Party activist since 1988 - firmly on the moderate wing of the party. Member of Labour’s NEC 2010-2012. National Secretary of Labour Students 1995-6. Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005). Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) 2002-2014, Labour Group Chief Whip 2002-09, Chair of Health Scrutiny 2010-2014. Supporter of Europe, NATO/nuclear deterrence, Israel, electoral reform. Guardian reader. Dad. Oxford resident. Unite union member. Employment history as a Labour Party Organiser, Local Government Political Assistant, Director at a Public Affairs company. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.